Archives for european union

The first opinion poll dates from 1936 when Franklin D. Roosevelt was re-elected US President. Following a notional vote by 10 million Americans, a national magazine predicted Roosevelt’s defeat. Gallup took a representative sample and anticipated Roosevelt’s victory with 62% of votes. The conclusion: a small representative sample is worth far more than consulting everybody.… » read more

Clearly pro-EU, President Macron and his government are starting to translate En Marche! to the Union level. This is good. Recent years are similar to the 1980-85 period when there was much distrust and paralysis in the EU. In 1985, Jacques Delors was appointed Commission President with the aim of jump-starting the European Economic Community.… » read more

“My right flank is destroyed, my left flank is in retreat, everything is fine – attack!” Those were the words of General Foch in the darkest moments of World War One. We are there once again. Sink or act – that is the choice we have. One priority for the Planet of the Institutions: action… » read more

I often write about EU secondary legislation and I am happy to host this piece on my blog – because comitology does not always have to be serious and dry! Mr Trump, what is your overall view on the Lisbon Treaty framework of secondary legislation and Level 2 acts? Secondary? Level 2? Come on… » read more

At a time when the European Union is faced with major dangers both internal and external, our elite leaders are focussing on issues that, while perhaps important, have no relation to their priorities. So we see Mr Juncker – otherwise inaudible – taking action on secondary legislation concerning roaming and glyphosate, but still not proposing… » read more

Nobody has ever explained why the Member States, in ratifying the Lisbon Treaty, replaced an effective comitology system with an unmanageable one. If we cannot change it, we have to master it – or accept losing our influence. Only one winner and many losers There are small losers and big losers. The small losers are… » read more

In these times of complexity, opacity and political correctness, speaking openly is now more important than ever.

About: Daniel Guéguen

With 40 years of experience in EU public affairs, Daniel Guéguen is founder and Head of Strategy and Lobbying at PACT European Affairs.

In 1996 he created CLAN Public Affairs and the European Training Institute. Before this, Daniel was Head of the European sugar industry and Secretary General of COPA-COGECA, the EU farmers’ union lobby. Guéguen is Professor at the College of Europe in Bruges and Natolin, as well as at SciencePo Paris and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). He previously taught at Georgetown University and Harvard Kennedy School. He is a renowned author of 15 books translated into 20 languages. Recent publications include: “Comitology: Hijacking European Power?” (2010), “Handbook on EU Secondary Legislation” (2012), “Reshaping European Lobbying” (2013) and “The New Practical Guide to the EU Labyrinth” (2015).